American legions with equipment out front

[88E30M50]

Go soon. I've heard rumors they are closing soon.

That's a shame. The Ropkey museum is a really cool place. Fred Ropkey died a few years back and I was always wondering how they would do without him. He was a nice guy and collected firearms as well as armor. I got to see his private collection once and was amazed at what he had. There were many hundreds of long arms in his collection, some dating back to the 1600s if I remember right. He bought his first piece of armor when he was 17 years old. It was an armored car that he said he and his buddies drove around bombing things with pumpkins. He had some pieces in his collection that did not exist elsewhere in the world. It was really nice having that collection right here in Indy while he was alive. Who knows were it will all end up in the future.

 

[printcraft]

Grissom Air Museum Preserving the past... For the future

Grissom has a nice display of planes. Probably about 45 minutes or so north on 31. I seem to remember they had a tank in a small city park in Kokomo but I could be wrong. Ifmso it's kind of on the way.

The tank is still setting in Foster park on Washington St. downtown Kokomo.

 

[Alexis Machine]

There is a jet in Covington and a Naval anti aircraft gun in Williamsport.

 

[Wolfhound]

There is a military museum in Anderson. They have some tanks and a huey. I think it's called McLain's Military Museum.

 

[87iroc]

Most of it went to Benning several years ago. Still a few token pieces left but not much.

We went last year. Very disappointing if you want to see tanks. The new location has a great Facebook page. They are restoring the tanks

 

[mdemetz]

There is/was a M60 at the American Legion in Bristol, IN.
The M41 Walker Bulldog tank was moved from Johnny Appleseed Park(Ft Wayne Coliseum) to Riverview Cemetery.

 

[Miller Tyme]

The VFW post in Milan Indiana has a M48 Patton out front on display.

Here is I web site listing others in Indiana, just scroll down the link.

Warbirds and Airshows - Indiana Tanks and Armored Vehciles Displays

 

[reno]

The Jackson County Courthouse on US 50 in Brownstown Indiana has a Sherman tank out front. THe VFW or LEgion in North Vernon Just off US 50 on the east side has a Fighter Jet.

THe one in Columbus Indiana south of town on US 31 has a chopper, tank and fighter I believe.

The Armory in Columbus at the airport has a APC setting out front, There might be a Jet there also. It is a late WWII air base, but was used during Korea quite a bit and some during Vietnam. Then there is Camp Atterbury Just drive through the main gate and stay on the main road. There is a memorial there to all the units who trained there and deactivated there.
Many static displays of many pieces of equipment.

 

[STEEL CORE]

Outside of the South bend regional Airport is a few Army and Navy things out front (tanks and turrets), a helicopter too I think.

 

[KellyinAvon]

Friend of mine's granddad backed that Sherman in to position. He was a tank driver in the war. The joke was he supposedly helped rob a bank while in the military. the tank on display points at the bank across the street.

Atterbury, as others have said, is a pretty decent museum. They have a Sherman, maybe a Patton(definitely a Vietnam era tank...), and even an Abrams on display.

Fort Knox has a smallish display of tanks these days down in Kentucky.

There is a pretty neat museum in Vincennes Indiana as well.

Indiana Military Museum

That would've been easy! It's not like a bank in Brownstown was being guarded by three Tiger Tanks or anything. Hmm, what was the name of that movie??

 

[rob63]

I think the American Legion in Fairmount has some pretty cool stuff on the front lawn. Its been years since I've been through there though.

I go by there fairly regularly. There is an M60 tank, an F-4 Phantom fighter jet, a UH-1 Huey helicopter, a large ship's propeller, and a number of smaller guns. Pretty amazing for such a small town.

The most unusual thing in Indiana is the WWII German V-1 buzz bomb in Greencastle.

Something else you don't see everyday in Indiana is the Civil War era 30-lb Parrott Rifle in the cemetery next to the Noblesville High School.

 

[DeadeyeChrista'sdad]

LOL. Reminds me that the Celina OH legion put an old Sherman out front when they opened, but were a little slow disabling it. Heck, a 7 year old kid and his 5 year old cousin MIGHT have been able to start it. Once.

 

[2A_Tom]

The First Infantry Museum at Cantigny, in Wheaten, IL has a lot of tanks outside.

First Division Museum at Cantigny

 

[dudley0]

Fairmount VFW still has the stuff as mentioned above. Small trek off of I-69. Then you could go to Gas City where they have a tank at the city building. Over to Van Buren Legion where they have a tank as well. They shut it down and I think the grounds are privately owned so be sure to check for permission before climbing on that one.

 

[BGDave]

If you want one closer the American Legion on lee road has a couple of things and by a couple of things I mean three. So not much but looks cool they have a tank, plane and Vietnam bomb with the wings. Hope that helps, your a good dad.

 

[Tankerdave]

If you ever get thru Huntington, we have a Sherman WW2 tank and a Lockheed T-33A Shooting Star Jet on display at Memorial Park on West Park Drive.

 

[actaeon277]

That would've been easy! It's not like a bank in Brownstown was being guarded by three Tiger Tanks or anything. Hmm, what was the name of that movie??

Kelly's Heroes

 

[DeadeyeChrista'sdad]

Woof woof woof!

 

[Scuba591]

If he still owns the company....the owner of Stanley Security Systems, 79th and Binford Blvd area, has an extensive private collection.. we toured it for a walk thru with the fire department years ago. I seem to remember several tanks, armored personnel carriers. Maybe a member here knows or works there.

 

[Alamo]

Hey folks, my son has become a real tank man. He has become a bit of a fanatic. We happened by an M4 Sherman the other day at a legion in Attica Indiana. Kid went nuts. My question is - does any one know of or can a legionnaire sound off on what legions or VFW's might have big equipment on display? I've tried google...but no real luck. Any hel greatly appreciated. Looking for SPG, TANKS, PLANES.
Thank you,
Jake and Elee

For planes, go to the National Museum of the USAF. It's less than 2hr drive from Indy on I-70, you could do it in a single long day.

A great vacation for the tank-lovin' family would be Ox Ranch where you can https://www.drivetanks.com/. It's a bit farther away (Uvalde Texas, west of San Antonio a few miles) and definitely runs some dollars, but hey, you get to drive and shoot with a tank.

Your son has a great hobby, best wishes to him.